Extended dynamic range in color imagers

ABSTRACT

A digital color imager providing an extended luminance range, an improved color implementation and enabling a method for an easy transformation into another color space having luminance as a component has been achieved. Key of the invention is the addition of white pixels to red, green and blue pixels. These white pixels have either an extended dynamic rang as described by U.S. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,441,852 to Levine et al.) or have a larger size than the red, green, or blue pixels used. The output of said white pixels can be directly used for the luminance values Y of the destination color space. Therefore only the color values and have to be calculated from the RGB values, leading to an easier and faster calculation. As an example chosen by the inventor the conversion to YCbCr color space has been shown in detail.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to digital image processing and relatesmore particularly to a digital color imager and related methods havingan improved color representation.

(2) Description of the Prior Art

Color is the perceptual result of light in the visible region of thespectrum, having wavelengths in the region of 400 nm to 700 nm, incidentupon the retina. The spectral distribution of light relevant to thehuman eye is often expressed in 31 components each representing a 10 nmband.

The human retina has three types of color photoreceptors cone cells,which respond to incident radiation with somewhat different spectralresponse curves. Because there are exactly three types of colorphotoreceptor, three numerical components are necessary and sufficientto describe a color, providing that appropriate spectral weightingfunctions are used. These cones provide the “photopic” vision.

Photoreceptors are not distributed evenly throughout the retina. Mostcones lie in the fovea, whereas rods dominate peripheral vision. Rodshandle the short wavelength light, up to about 510 nm. The number ofrods is much higher than the number of cones. They are very sensitive tovery low levels of light. These rods provide the “scotopic” vision.There is no color in scotopic vision and it is processed as grayscale.

Since the human eye has more photoreceptors handling black and whitecompared to colors luminance is more important to vision as colors.

Pixel values in accurate gray-scale images are based upon broadbandbrightness values. Pixel values in accurate color images are based upontristimulus values. Color images are sensed and reproduced based upontristimulus values, whose spectral composition is carefully chosenaccording to the principles of color science. As their name implies,tristimulus values come in sets of three. In most imaging systems,tristimulus values are subjected to a non-linear transfer function thatmimics the lightness response of vision. Most imaging systems use RGBvalues whose spectral characteristics do not exactly match thetristimulus values of the human eyes.

A combination of real world physical characteristics determines what thehuman vision system perceives as color. A color space is a mathematicalrepresentation of these characteristics. Color spaces are oftenthree-dimensional. There are many possible color space definitions.

Digital cameras have either RGB representation (RGB in one pixel) orBayer representation, wherein the pixels are arranged as shown in FIG. 1prior art. In a 2×2 cell 1 are one red (R) pixel, one blue (B) pixel andtwo green (G) pixels.

Another color space is Hue, Saturation and Luminance (or HSL). In thiscolor space scenes are not described in terms of red, green, and blue,but as hue, saturation, and luminance (HSL). We see things as colors, orhues that either have a washed-out look or have deep, rich tones. Thismeans having low or high saturation, respectively. Hue is the attributeof a visual sensation according to which an area appears to be similarto one of the perceived colors, red, green and blue, or a combination ofthem. Saturation is the colorfulness of an area judged in proportion toits brightness.

By color saturation control is meant the process to increase or decreasethe amount of color in an image without changing the image contrast.When saturation is lowered the amount of white in the colors isincreased (washed out). By adjusting the color saturation the same imagecan be everything from a black and white image to a fully saturatedimage having strong colors.

Usually different color spaces are being used to describe color images.YUV and YcbCr color spaces are getting more and more important.

The YUV color space is characterized by the luminance (brightness), “Y”,being retained separately from the chrominance (color). There is asimple mathematical transformation from RGB: Y is approximately 30% Red,60% Green, and 10% Blue, the same as the definition of white above. Uand V are computed by removing the “brightness” factor from the colors.By definition, U=Blue−Yellow, thus U represents colors from blue (U>0)to yellow (U<0). Likewise V=Red−Yellow, thus V represents colors frommagenta (V>0) to Cyan (blue green) (V<0)

The YCbCr color space was developed as part of recommendation CClR601.YCbCr color space is closely related to the YUV space, but with thecolor coordinates shifted to allow all positive valued coefficients:Cb=(U/2)+0.5Cr=(V/1.6)+0.5,wherein the luminance Y is identical to the YUV representation.

U.S. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,441,852 to Levine et al.) describes anextended dynamic range imager. An array of pixels provides an outputsignal for each pixel related to an amount of light captured for eachpixel during an integration period. A row of extended dynamic range(XDR) sample and hold circuits having an XDR sample and hold circuit foreach column of the array captures an XDR signal related to a differencebetween the output signal and an XDR clamp level to which the pixel isreset at a predetermined time before the end of the integration period.A row of linear sample and hold circuits having a linear sample and holdcircuit for each column of the array captures a linear signal related toa difference between the output signal and an initial output signal towhich the pixel is reset at the beginning of the integration period.

FIG. 2 prior art shows a diagram of the relationship betweenillumination and the yield of electrons per pixel of a “normal” imager21 and an XDR imager 20. It shows that the resolution of the XDR imager20 is much higher in low illumination condition than the resolution of“normal” imagers. In case the illumination is higher than the XDRbreakpoint 22 the additional yield of electrons is reducedsignificantly.

XDR enhances the performance especially in low-light conditions. The XDRAPS also uses individual pixel addressing to reduce column overload, or“blooming”. The excess charge is absorbed in substrate and adjacentpixel drain regions.

It is a challenge for the designers of digital imagers to achievesolutions providing images being almost equivalent to human vision.

There are patents or patent applications related to this area:

U.S. patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,642,962 to Lin et al.) describes adigital-camera processor receiving mono-color digital pixels from animage sensor. Each mono-color pixel is red, blue, or green. The streamof pixels from the sensor has alternating green and red pixels on oddlines, and blue and green pixels on even lines in a Bayer pattern. Eachmono-color pixel is white balanced by multiplying with a gain determinedin a previous frame and then stored in a line buffer. A horizontalinterpolator receives an array of pixels from the line buffer. Thehorizontal interpolator generates missing color values by interpolationwithin horizontal lines in the array. The intermediate results from thehorizontal interpolator are stored in a column buffer, and represent onecolumn of pixels from the line buffer. A vertical interpolator generatesthe final RGB value for the pixel in the middle of the column registerby vertical interpolation. The RGB values are converted to YUV. Thevertical interpolator also generates green values for pixels above andbelow the middle pixel. These green values are sent to an edge detector.The edge detector applies a filter to the 3 green values and 6 moregreen values from the last 2 clock cycles. When an edge is detected, anedge enhancer is activated. The edge enhancer adds a scaled factor tothe Y component to sharpen the detected edge. Color enhancement isperformed on the U and V components. The line buffer stores only 4 fulllines of pixels and no full-frame buffer is needed.

U.S. patent (2003/0016295 to Nakakuki) discloses an invention, making itpossible to display an image signal with as a high picture quality aswould have been obtained with a solid image pick-up device having colorfilters arrayed in a mosaic pattern. The image signal obtained from thesolid image pick-up device with a Bayer array of the three primarycolors of R, G, and B is separated by a color separation circuit intoR-color, G-color, and B-color signals. These color signals areattenuated by filters respectively at half a horizontal samplingfrequency in order to suppress the occurrence of moire noise. TheG-color filter circuit has a narrower attenuation bandwidth than that ofthe R-color filter circuit and the B-color filter circuit. These colorsignals thus filtered are adjusted in level at a white balance circuitand then mixed by addition at a mixer, thus generating a luminancesignal. By narrowing the attenuation bandwidth of the G-color signal,the resolution can be kept high while suppressing the occurrence ofmoire noise.

U.S. patent application Publication (U.S. 20020101524 to Acharya)describes an integrated color interpolation and color space conversiontechnique and apparatus. A raw image that is arranged in a Bayer patternwhere each pixel has only one of the color components needed to form afull color resolution pixel may be converted using this techniquedirectly to a YCrCb image space without any intermediate conversion orinterpolation steps. Specifically, in one instance, an 8-bit Bayerpattern raw image may be converted directly to a 12-bit YCrCb space in asingle step approach. Such an integrated technique may more readily andinexpensively be implemented in hardware such as on a digital camera, orin software.

U.S. patent application Publication (U.S. 2002/0012055 to Koshiba etal.) describes an interpolation for a Bayer pattern color-filtered arraywith edge enhancement by clamping green interpolation values.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A principal object of the present invention is to achieve a digitalcolor imager providing an extended luminance range.

Another object of the present invention is to achieve digital colorimager providing an improved color and luminance representation.

Another object of the invention is to achieve a method for an easiertransformation of the pixel output of a digital color imager into anYcbCr color space.

In accordance with the objects of this invention a digital color imagerproviding an extended luminance range and an improved colorrepresentation comprising red, green, blue and white pixels, whereinsaid white pixels are extended dynamic range pixels, has been achieved.

In accordance with the objects of this invention a digital color imagerhas been achieved providing an extended luminance range and an improvedcolor representation comprising red, green, blue and white pixels,wherein said white pixels have a larger size compared to the red, greenand blue pixels used.

In accordance with a further object of this invention a method toconvert pixel color values of a digital color imager into another colorspace having luminance as a component has been achieved. Said methodcomprises, first, providing a digital color imager comprising red,green, blue and white pixels. The steps of the method invented are touse sensor output of white pixel for luminance value Y and to calculatecolor values of destination color space from the output of the red,green and blue pixels using the correspondent conversion matrix.

In accordance with a further object of this invention a method toconvert pixel color values of a digital color imager into YcbCr colorspace has been achieved. Said method comprises, first, providing adigital color imager comprising red, green, blue and white pixels. Thesteps of the method invented are to use sensor output of white pixel forluminance value Y and to calculate color values Cb and Cr from theoutput of the red, green and blue pixels using transformationparameters.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of thisdescription, there is shown:

FIG. 1 prior art shows a Bayer arrangement of red, green and bluepixels.

FIG. 2 prior art describes a diagram of the output of an extendeddynamic range pixel as function of the illumination compared to a normalpixel output.

FIGS. 3 a-d illustrate different variations of the addition of whitepixels to RGB pixels.

FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of a method to convert the output of red,green, blue and white pixels into another color space having luminanceas a component.

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of a method to convert the output of red,green, blue and white pixels into YCbCr color space.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiments disclose a novel imager and related methods toimprove the color representation of digital images by adding whitepixels to red, green and blue pixels. These white pixels could have anincreased size compared to the red, green and blue pixels used or couldbe extended dynamic range (XDR) pixels as disclosed in U.S. patent (U.S.Pat. No. 6,441,852 to Levine et al.) issued Aug. 27, 2002.

FIG. 3 a shows an example of the “extended” Bayer representation as onekey point of the present invention. Two white (W) pixels are added tored (R), green (G) and blue (B) pixels. In the example shown only thesewhite (W) pixels are of XDR type providing best resolution andindicating directly luminance values.

FIG. 3 b shows another example of an arrangement of an “extended” Bayerrepresentation. Two white (W) pixels, being larger than the otherpixels, are added to red (R), green (G) and blue (B) pixels. In theexample shown in FIG. 3 b these larger white (W) pixels are “normal”pixels, not XDR pixels, providing best resolution and indicatingdirectly luminance values.

Luminance is a component of many color spaces as e.g. YCbCr, YUV, CMYK,HIS, etc. Conversion from RGB to one of those color spaces havingluminance as component can be performed by a matrix or vector operation.As example there is a well-known equation to transform pixel data fromRGB to YcbCr color space:1[Y Cb Cr]=[0.299 0.587 0.114−0.169−0.331 0.5 0.5−0.418−0.081].times.[RG B],  (1)wherein R, G, B are the values of Red, Green and Blue as components ofthe RGB color space, and Y is the luminance and Cb and Cr are the colorvalues as components of the YcbCr color space.

Using an “extended” Bayer representation as a key part of the presentinvention, as shown e.g. in FIG. 3 a and in FIG. 3 b, the white XDRpixels W shown in FIG. 3 a or the white large size pixels W shown inFIG. 3 b already yield the luminance value Y of the YcbCr color space.Therefore the transformation from the RGB to YcbCr color space is easierand faster to be calculated. The luminance Y is already provided by thewhite pixel, the color values Cb and Cr can be calculated according tothe following equation:2[Cb Cr]=[−0.169−0.331 0.5 0.5−0.418−0.81].times.[R G B],  (2)

It is obvious that equation (2), shown above, is easier to be calculatedcompared to equation (1) wherein the value of luminance has to becalculated as well.

It has to be understood that the transformation to an YCbCr color spaceis just an example, a transformation to other color spaces havingluminance as component could be performed in a very similar way.

FIG. 4 describes a method how to convert the RGB values of an imager ofthe present invention comprising red, green, blue and white pixels intoanother color space having luminance as a component, such as e.g. YIQ,YUV, CMYK. Step 40 describes the provision of red, green, blue and whitepixels in a digital color imager. Said white pixels could be eitherpixels of the XDR type having a similar size as the red, green or bluepixels being used in the digital imager could be of a non-XDR type beinglarger than said red, green and green pixels. Step 41 shows that theoutput of these white pixels can be used directly for the luminancevalue Y of the YcbCr color space. In step 42 the color values of thedestination color space are calculated from the red, green and bluepixel values according to the correspondent conversion matrix.

FIG. 5 describes as a chosen example a method how to convert the RGBvalues of an imager of the present invention comprising red, green, blueand white pixels into an YcbCr color space. Step 50 describes theprovision of red, green, blue and white pixels in a digital colorimager. Said white pixels could be either pixels of the XDR type havinga similar size as the red, green or blue pixels being used in thedigital imager could be of a non-XDR type being larger than said red,green and green pixels. Step 51 shows that the output of these whitepixels can be used directly for the luminance value Y of the YcbCr colorspace. In step 52 the color values Cb and Cr are calculated from thered, green and blue pixel values according to equation (2).

There are unlimited variations possible a layout of an “extended” Bayerrepresentation. FIGS. 3 a, 3 b, 3 c and 3 d show just a few examples ofa multitude of possible arrangements of Red (R), Blue (B), Green (G),and Black/White (W) pixels. The white pixels shown in FIGS. 3 c and 3 dcould represent either pixels of the XDR type having a similar size asthe red, green or blue pixels used in a digital color imager or non-XDRtype pixels being larger than said red, green or blue pixels. A keypoint of the invention is to combine white pixels, being either fromXDR-type or of larger size, with red, green and blue pixels. Due to theextended dynamic range of the Black/White (W) pixels or due to theextended size there is an extended range for luminance generated. Thepixels are converted to RGB or YCbCr representation or to some othercolor space by interpolation.

There is a tradeoff between the percentage of white pixels compared tothe share of RBG pixels in regard of a high color resolution and asignal-to-noise (SNR) in luminance to be considered. The more whitepixels are being used the higher is the SNR in luminance. The more RGBpixels are being used the more color representation is provided.

Alternatively only the R, G, B pixels shown in FIGS. 3 a to 3 d could beprovided with filters of the respective colors while the white pixelswould have no filters. By this measure a common kind of sensors could bedeployed a cross the imager.

In summary, the advantages of the present invention are to achieve anextended luminance range, a correct color representation and an easydigital post-processing in YCbCr representation by introducing whitepixels having either an extended dynamic range (XDR) or a larger sizethan the RGB pixels used in the digital color imager.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood bythose skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A digital color imager comprising: an imagesensor array including red, green, blue and white pixel sensors, whereinthe white pixel sensors are sensitive to broadband brightness values,and wherein pixels associated with the white pixel sensors each have alarger light exposure surface area than pixels associated with the red,green and blue pixel sensors.
 2. The digital color imager of claim 1,wherein the red, green and blue pixel sensors have corresponding colorfilters.
 3. The digital color imager of claim 1, wherein the white pixelsensors have an extended dynamic range and wherein the red, green andblue pixel sensors have a non-extended dynamic range.
 4. The digitalcolor imager of claim 1, wherein the image sensor array is arranged ingroups of quadrants.
 5. The digital color imager of claim 4, wherein afirst quadrant comprises a first group of red, green, and blue pixelsensors, wherein a second quadrant comprises a first single white pixelsensor, wherein a third quadrant comprises a second single white pixelsensor, and wherein a fourth quadrant comprises a second group of red,green, and blue pixel sensors.
 6. The digital color imager of claim 5,wherein the first quadrant is located adjacent both the second quadrantand the third quadrant, and wherein the fourth quadrant is also locatedadjacent both the second quadrant and the third quadrant.
 7. The digitalcolor imager of claim 4, wherein the image sensor array comprises afirst quadrant including red, green, and blue pixel sensors and a secondquadrant including a single white pixel sensor, and wherein the firstquadrant and the second quadrant are arranged in the groups of quadrantsin a staggered manner.
 8. The digital color imager of claim 4, whereinthe image sensor array comprises a first quadrant including red, green,and blue pixel sensors and a second quadrant including a single whitepixel sensor, and wherein each of the groups of quadrants includesalternating placement of the first quadrant and the second quadrant. 9.The digital color imager of claim 4, wherein a first quadrant comprisesred, green, and blue pixel sensors, and wherein a second quadrantcomprises a white pixel sensor.
 10. The digital color imager of claim 9,wherein the first quadrant comprises one red pixel, two green pixels,and one blue pixel.
 11. A method to convert pixel color values of adigital color imager into another color space having luminance as acomponent, the method comprising: sensing, with the digital colorimager, light corresponding to an image, wherein the digital colorimager comprises red, green, blue and white pixel sensors, wherein thewhite pixel sensors are sensitive to broadband brightness values, andwherein pixels associated with the white pixel sensors each have alarger light exposure surface area than pixels associated with the red,green and blue pixel sensors; using, with the digital color imager, anoutput of the white pixel sensors for a luminance value Y of the anothercolor space; and calculating, with the digital color imager, colorvalues of the another color space from an output of the red, green andblue pixel sensors using a corresponding conversion matrix.
 12. Themethod of claim 11, wherein the white pixel sensors have an extendeddynamic range and wherein the red, green and blue pixel sensors have anon-extended dynamic range.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein thepixel color values of the digital color imager are converted into aYCbCr color space, and wherein said calculating comprises: calculating,with the digital color imager, color values Cb and Cr from the output ofthe red, green and blue pixel sensors.
 14. The method of claim 13,wherein said calculating of the Cb and Cr components of the YCbCr colorspace is performed according to the following equation:${\begin{bmatrix}{Cb} \\{Cr}\end{bmatrix} = {\begin{bmatrix}{- 0.169} & {- 0.331} & 0.5 \\0.5 & {- 0.419} & {- 0.81}\end{bmatrix} \times \begin{bmatrix}R \\G \\B\end{bmatrix}}},$
 15. A digital color image sensor array comprising: afirst sensor row including a first set of contiguous white pixelsensors; a second sensor row including alternating red, green, and bluepixel sensors; and a third sensor row including a second set ofcontiguous white pixel sensors, wherein the second sensor row is locatedbetween the first sensor row and the third sensor row, and whereinpixels associated with the first set of contiguous white pixel sensorsand pixels associated with the second set of contiguous white pixelsensors each have a larger light exposure surface area than pixelsassociated with the red, green and blue pixel sensors.
 16. The digitalcolor image sensor array of claim 15, wherein both the first sensor rowand the third sensor row are located adjacent to the second sensor row.17. The digital color image sensor array of claim 16, further comprisinga fourth sensor row including alternating red, green, and blue pixelsensors, wherein the fourth sensor row is located adjacent the thirdsensor row.
 18. The digital color image sensor array of claim 16,further comprising a fourth sensor row including a third set ofcontiguous white pixel sensors, wherein the fourth sensor row is locatedadjacent the third sensor row.
 19. The digital color image sensor arrayof claim 18, further comprising a fifth sensor row including alternatingred, green, and blue pixel sensors, wherein the fifth sensor row islocated adjacent the fourth sensor row.
 20. The digital color imagesensor array of claim 16, wherein a plurality of rows of sensors arearranged as rows of contiguous white pixel sensors alternatelypositioned with rows of alternating red, green, and blue pixel sensors.